WTF Gym Talk

If you're a microgym owner, you'll inevitably have to raise your prices. This can be quite a stressful process and historically, it's something we see owners due every few years. I've got a better way.  No price raise letters.  No stress. 

Earlier this year I created several pieces of content regarding my belief that the 'Hybrid Gym' model (Open Gym + Group Class) was going to see serious growth over the next 5 years. Many of you have reached out to discuss this opportunity, but I warn you...don't do this.

Want to know the number one reason that microgyms have to throw in the towel? Money. They simply didn't have enough when they started. They grew too slow and were not able to acquire the HR resources needed to take them to the next level. Here's my take on this and what you can (or maybe can't) do about it.

If I were to give up my two workouts a day, consulting 40 hours a month and traveling around the country creating content - which I probably won't do anytime soon - this is the model I'd go with.

On this episode of Branding With Boris, we celebrate his 5 year anniversary of being in business and discuss the many lessons and failures he's learned along the way. If you're in need of brand design work and want to work with the best, head over to www.metconcreative.com.au where my man Boris does incredible work to bring your brand to life. www.metconcreative.com.au

Dan Uyemura, co-founder and CEO of Push Press (member management software for microgyms) comes back on the show to discuss what his team has been hard at work with, some features I have never seen before that have some awesome potential.  https://www.pushpress.com/

It's a hard pill to swallow, but hear me out...

Corbin Jennings currently holds the most MADabolic franchises, with 16 locations in total. He's dominated the Washington D.C. market with his first 4 locations and just signed on for 12 more in Arizona.  I traveled out to talk with him about his hyper-success with the MADabolic brand, operating multiple locations, and how to run pre-sells to get each location profitable. If you're looking to...

Continuing with my radical new thesis that I'm trying to force into your microgym adoption - creating a new expectation of your staff to be advertising their role in your microgym on social media. Crazy concept to many, but to those who understand the value here, it's gold.   In this episode I'll talk about how to train your staff to be effective at posting, running a workshop for them, and t...

Some more Tempo Training discussion as it relates to why I prefer sled work compared to the high volume squatting and deadlifting days of when I used to do CrossFit. Content monsters like Ben Patrick (Knees Over Toes Guy), Louie Simmons, Dave Tate, and others have reinvigorated my love for sled work and have proven to me that for muscular, strong legs - you don't need to squat as much as you may t...

If you want to better understand your customer, you need to walk in their shoes. Most owners think because they have sidebar conversations with their members on a regular basis that they know what the customer wants, they don't. They are being fed the filtered version of what the customer thinks.   The raw version is reserved for other members, friends, family, etc. And the only way to get be...

When it comes to Operational Workflow (my terminology for systems), I think there are three key areas that need to be installed if you want to make any significant amount of revenue in your business. 

Another podcast episode where I dig into fitness + programming and how it relates to the Tempo Training program I've created for myself. Specifically, I'm going to go in on the element of speed that is being perpetuated in the functional fitness (cough CrossFit cough) scene.  Take a listen and let me know whatcha think. 

My good friend and colleague, Dr. Sean Pastuch of Active Life came on this segment of the podcast so we could have an educated debate on some recent content I've created regarding retention and how I view it for the microgym owner. But this episode was unique in that we did it in front of a live audience and allowed for QnA afterward.   Hope you enjoy! 

Excited to make the official announcement that I'll be working with MADabolic HQ to help them find individuals who are looking to grow their own fitness portfolio or open their first location and are seriously considering a MADabolic franchise.  I'll be able to provide an unbiased opinion and provide you the entry-level information you're probably wondering as it relates to opening a franchis...

This may seem the opposite of what you'd expect to hear, but I'm a huge fan of part-time microgym owners. By part-time, I'm referring to the fact that they have a full-time career elsewhere.  Can't seem to understand why I'd support this status?  Give this a listen and it might just change your perspective. 

Recently, I've been making more content regarding fitness - not business. Specifically, how I've tweaked the Tempo Training programming model we created at Urban MVMNT and have designed it for my own use. Well, apparently there are some owners out there that believe my public discord regarding an alternative way to fitness is a direct threat to them. Here's what I have to say about that. 

Today, I have the team from BGW Wealth Mangaement (Charlotte, NC) in studio for an awesome conversation around how to get started with a wealth strategy for microgym owners.  The found, Ben McDonald, is also a microgym owner of CrossFit Huntersville. The COO, Dan Territor, is a veteran microgym customer who understands the industry and the struggles that owners are experiencing. Take notes on...

I recently made a post on Instagram that got some negative feedback. Shocker. Well one of the individuals who were critical of my viewpoint, Brian Costello - the founder of O23 Holistic Systems - was dope enough to come on the podcast to riff back and forth as to why he disagreed with my stance. Enjoy.  https://www.o23coach.com @o23_holistic_systems 

Joe Gigantino Jr. has an interesting career in the fitness industry.   From operating health clubs to opening his own and then venturing into the commercial real estate side of the business. Additionally, he started his own equipment retail company Weights And Bars to further complement his vast experience in the fitness scene. But it's his one company's mission that I'm very interested in -...

When should you abandon your current business model and switch it up? How should you know whether your current thing needs to completely change, or just do better? I've got some ideas. 

With the insane increase in content being created from absolutely everyone - from grandmas to gurus - it's time that we as an industry created higher standards for our trainers to advertise themselves..., not us, the but themselves...which will, in turn, benefit the business as long as you create a work environment, compensation and fulfillment level that satisfies them.

With the insane increase in content being created from absolutely everyone - from grandmas to gurus - it's time that we as an industry created higher standards for our trainers to advertise themselves..., not us, the but themselves...which will, in turn, benefit the business as long as you create a work environment, compensation and fulfillment level that satisfies them.

A sidestep from the typical business content, I thought it would be cool to share with you how I'm currently training using a version of Tempo Training that we created at Urban MVMNT.  As a 36 year old who simply wants to look good naked and has grown disenchanted with a typical HIIT/CrossFit style workout - maybe this will interest you. 

I've been trying to spread the word on a theory I have... That the ~20+ years of functional fitness in a group coaching session have created intelligent, self-aware and autonomous clients. Meaning, they are experienced enough to NOT need your coaching for their day-to-day workouts.  They are self-aware enough to realize what they want vs. don't want to do And they now have a crazy amount of o...